JP6951094B2 - Broadcast system, control device, and playback control method - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to broadcasting systems, control devices, and playback control methods.

For example, in a system that continues to operate for 24 hours, in order to improve the reliability of the system, redundancy is provided in which devices having the same configuration are prepared for a plurality of systems. As a result, when a system failure occurs, the system that operates the system is automatically switched from, for example, the first system (active system) to the second system (spare system), and it is possible to prevent the system from stopping. ..

The broadcasting master system of a broadcasting station is also made redundant, such as by duplicating the system, in order to prevent a broadcasting accident in the event of a failure.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-258003 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-227599 JP-A-2010-212746

Key stations have also introduced a third system as a "test system" that conducts operational tests such as operator education and simulation of programming data, but local stations have high cost hurdles. We have introduced a dual system consisting of an active system and a backup system.

When conducting an operation test, for example, the backup system is set to the test mode, and the system is operated only by the active system. Here, when the spare system is switched from the test mode to the operation mode, the spare system can be on-air in synchronization with the material on-air in the current system at the timing when the material to be on-air is switched in the existing system.

However, when a long material is on the air, even if the test mode is switched to the operation mode, there is a waiting time until the material is switched to the next material, so the standby system is immediately synchronized with the active system to provide redundancy. It cannot be re-secured.

Such a problem is not limited to the case where the operation test is performed, but is a problem that can occur when the standby system is in an asynchronous state with respect to the active system, such as when maintenance is performed. Moreover, it is a problem that can occur not only in the case of the spare system but also in another system.

The problem to be solved by the invention is to provide a broadcasting system, a control device, and a playback control method that enable a system that is in an asynchronous state with the working system to be immediately synchronized with the working system to re-ensure redundancy. To do.

The control device of the embodiment is a control device applied to a broadcasting system having redundancy that allows a plurality of playback devices to be controlled to reproduce the same material in synchronization, and the first playback device is Reproduction starts when the first reproduction device starts reproduction of the material in a state where the material is being reproduced as an active system but the reproduction synchronized with the reproduction is not performed by the second reproduction device. The time and the reproduction start position of the material are stored in the storage medium, and when a signal instructing the second reproduction device to shift to the operation mode is received, the reproduction stored in the storage medium is performed. start and based the on the reproduction start position and the current time, determine the reproduction position of the material of the first reproduction device is currently playing, the same position as the determined reproduction position to the second reproduction device A control means for controlling the start of reproduction of the same material is provided.

The figure which shows the schematic structure of the broadcasting master system which concerns on embodiment. A time chart showing the difference in control between the prior art and the present embodiment. The flowchart which shows an example of the operation in Embodiment. The flowchart which shows another example of the operation in embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a broadcasting master system (hereinafter, “broadcasting system”) according to an embodiment.

The broadcasting system shown in FIG. 1 is a system having redundancy that allows a plurality of playback devices to be controlled to reproduce the same material in synchronization, and a plurality of systems 10 (for example, 1 system and 2 systems). ), A control console 30, and a system output switching device 40. Here, a case where a plurality of systems 10 are composed of two types of systems (active system and backup system) of one system and two systems is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, three or more types are used. (For example, a working system, a backup system, a maintenance system, etc.) may be configured.

As shown in FIG. 1, the 1st system and the 2nd system each have a common component. The first system includes a control device 11, a video server (reproduction device) 12, and a transmission unit 13, and the second system includes a control device 21, a video server (reproduction device) 22, and a transmission unit 23. In addition to this, another element may be further provided.

The control table 30 is a table provided with input devices such as various buttons and a touch panel for the operator to perform various operations, and the operator performs desired instructions to the control devices 11 and 21 respectively. You can send a signal.

The control device 11 on the 1st system side can send and receive information to and from the control device 21 and control the video server 12, and in some cases (for example, there is an operation of switching the control target from the control console 30 or the like). It is also possible to control the video server 22 (in some cases, etc.). The video server 12 is controlled by the control device 11 and can reproduce the material and output the video / audio to the transmission unit 13. In some cases, the video server 12 is controlled by the control device 21 or transmits the video / audio to the transmission unit 13. It can also be output to 23. The transmission unit 13 can transmit the video / audio output from the video server 12 to the system output switching device 40, and in some cases, the video / audio output from the video server 22 to the system output switching device 40. It can also be transmitted.

Similarly, the control device 21 on the second system side can send and receive information to and from the control device 11, control the video server 22, and in some cases, control the video server 12. The video server 22 is controlled by the control device 21 to reproduce the material and output the video / audio to the transmission unit 23. In some cases, the video server 22 is controlled by the control device 11 or transmits the video / audio to the transmission unit 23. It can also be output to 13. The transmission unit 23 can transmit the video / audio output from the video server 22 to the system output switching device 40, and in some cases, the video / audio output from the video server 12 to the system output switching device 40. It can also be transmitted.

The system output switching device 40 switches the system output used for broadcasting, and the video / audio transmitted from the transmission unit 13 of the first system and the video / audio transmitted from the transmission unit 23 of the second system. Only one of the voice and the voice is selected and sent to the transmitter T. The transmitter T transmits the video / audio transmitted from the system output switching device 40 as a broadcast wave.

The individual elements described above are networked and capable of communicating with each other. The communication in this case is not limited to wired communication, and may be wireless.

The 1st system and the 2nd system constitute a dual system including an active system and a backup system. When the 1st system is the active system, the 2nd system is the backup system. On the other hand, when the 2nd system is the active system, the 1st system is the backup system. If a failure occurs in the system that operates as the active system, the active system and the backup system are replaced (system change) between the 1st system and the 2nd system.

Here, consider the case where the 1st system shown in FIG. 1 is the active system and the 2nd system is the preliminary system.

In the working system, the control device 11 sequentially causes the video server 12 to reproduce individual materials according to, for example, a schedule owned by the control device 11, so that the video / audio of the individual materials reproduced from the video server 12 is transmitted by the transmission unit 13. Will be supplied in sequence. The video / audio supplied to the transmission unit 13 is sent to the transmitter T via the system output switching device 40.

The control for starting the reproduction of each material on the video server 12 is performed according to the above schedule, according to an instruction from another system (not shown), or according to an instruction from the control console 30. It may be said.

Also in the backup system, the control device 21 causes the video server 22 to sequentially reproduce the individual materials in synchronization with the active system, so that the video and audio of the individual materials reproduced from the video server 22 are sequentially reproduced in the transmission unit 23. Be supplied.

Here, when the video server 12 is playing the material, but the video server 22 is not performing the playback synchronized with the playback (for example, when the backup system is in the test mode, or Consider (when maintenance is in progress).

In this case, when the active control device 11 switches the material being reproduced by the video server 12 and starts the reproduction of the new material, the reproduction start time when the reproduction of the material is started and the reproduction of the material are started. Notify the standby system control device 21 of the start position. The reproduction start position of the material is not always the start position of the material, but may be the position in the middle of the material.

On the other hand, the standby system control device 21 stores the reproduction start time and the reproduction start position notified from the active system control device 11 in a predetermined storage medium for use in the calculation described later.

When the operator instructs the standby system to shift to the operation mode by operating the control console 30, the control device 21 of the standby system gives a signal instructing the standby system to shift to the operation mode. To receive. When the backup control device 21 receives the signal, the playback start time when the video server 12 starts playing the material, the playback start position of the material, and the current time stored in the storage medium are stored in the storage medium. Based on the above, the video server 12 performs an operation to obtain the reproduction position of the material currently being reproduced, and controls the video server 22 to start the reproduction of the same material from the same position as the determined reproduction position. Specifically, the control device 21 adds the playback position of the material currently being played by the video server 12 to the value indicating the playback start position of the material by adding the value of the difference between the playback start time and the current time. Obtained by doing.

When, for example, the standby system control device 21 receives a signal instructing the transition to the operation mode from the control console 30 while the video server 22 is in the test, the standby system control device 21 ends or interrupts the test and controls the above. To carry out. Further, for example, when the video server 22 is under maintenance and a signal instructing the transition to the operation mode is received from the control console 30, the maintenance is terminated or interrupted to perform the above control.

Further, when the control console 30 or another system has a failure in the playback output of the video server 12 of the current system, in addition to the above control performed by the control device 21, the playback output of the video server 12 is replaced. It is possible to perform an operation for switching the system so that the playback output of the video server 22 is used for broadcasting (performing a system change for exchanging the relationship between the active system and the backup system).

For example, when the operator recognizes the occurrence of a failure in the active system, the operator operates the control console 30 to instruct the standby system to shift to the operation mode and at the same time instruct the system change. You may try to do it. In that case, the standby system control device 21 can receive a signal instructing the system change in addition to the signal instructing the transition to the operation mode from the control console 30, and instructing the transition to the operation mode and the system. Both change instructions can be reliably executed.

Here, the difference in control between the prior art and the present embodiment will be described with reference to the time charts of FIGS. 2A and 2B.

According to the control procedure of the prior art shown in FIG. 2 (a), it is as follows.

For example, it is assumed that the active system is playing the material of event 0, while the preliminary system is testing the test event.

For example, the working system finishes the reproduction of the event 0 at time t1 and starts the reproduction of a new event 1.

After this, the backup system ends the test of the test event at time t2. At this time, even if the test mode of the spare system is switched to the operation mode, there is a waiting time until the event 1 is switched to the next event 2 during the playback of the long event 1, so that the spare system is immediately changed to the active system. It is not possible to synchronize and re-ensure redundancy. Therefore, the backup system starts the reproduction of the same event 2 at the timing when the active system finishes the reproduction of the event 1 at time t3 and starts the reproduction of the new event 2, and synchronizes with the active system to ensure redundancy. Redundant.

On the other hand, according to the control procedure of the present embodiment in FIG. 2B, the result is as follows.

As in the case of FIG. 2A, it is assumed that the active system is playing the material of event 0, while the preliminary system is testing the test event.

For example, the working system finishes the reproduction of the event 0 at time t1 and starts the reproduction of a new event 1. At this time, the active system notifies the preliminary system of the reproduction start time t1 when the reproduction of the event 1 is started and the reproduction start position of the material.

The standby system stores the reproduction start time t1 and the reproduction start position notified from the control device 11 of the active system in a predetermined storage medium.

After that, the standby system receives a signal instructing the shift to the operation mode from the control console 30 at the timing when the test of the test event is completed at time t2. At this time, the preliminary system performs an operation of adding the value of the difference between the reproduction start time t1 and the current time t2 to the reproduction start position of the event 1 at the reproduction position of the event 1 currently being reproduced by the active system. The playback of the same event 1 is started from the same position as the obtained playback position. As a result, it is possible to immediately synchronize the standby system with the active system and re-ensure redundancy at the timing when the test is completed without waiting time.

After that, when the active system finishes the reproduction of the event 1 at time t3 and starts the reproduction of the new event 2, the preliminary system starts the reproduction of the same event 2 at that timing.

Next, an example of the operation in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

Here, it is assumed that the 1st system shown in FIG. 1 is the active system and the 2nd system is the preliminary system.

Now, while the active system is playing back the material, the spare system is in the test mode (that is, asynchronous with the active system) (step S11).

The control device 11 of the working system sequentially reproduces each material in the video server 12, and when the material being reproduced in the video server 12 is switched and the reproduction of the new material is started, the reproduction of the material is started. The playback start time and the playback start position of the material are notified to the standby system control device 21 (YES in step S12, step S13).

The standby system control device 21 stores the reproduction start time and the reproduction start position notified from the active system control device 11 in a predetermined storage medium for use in the calculation described later (step S14).

When the operator instructs the backup system to switch from the test mode to the operation mode by operating the control console 30, the control device 21 of the standby system shifts from the control console 30 to the operation mode. The instruction signal is received (YES in step S15). When the backup control device 21 receives the signal, the playback start time when the video server 12 starts playing the material, the playback start position of the material, and the current time, which are stored in the storage medium, are displayed. Based on (specifically, by performing an operation of adding the value of the difference between the playback start time and the current time to the value indicating the playback start position of the material), the video server 12 is currently playing. The reproduction position of the material is obtained (step S17), and the video server 22 is controlled to start the reproduction of the same material from the same position as the obtained reproduction position (step S18).

In this way, according to the above operation example, in a state where the backup system is performing an asynchronous test with the active system, the spare system is immediately synchronized with the active system at the timing when the test is completed to provide redundancy. Can be re-secured.

If the operator recognizes the occurrence of a failure in the active system during the test mode, the operator operates the control console 30 to instruct the standby system to shift to the operation mode, and at the same time. You may also instruct a system change. In that case, in addition to the processes of steps S16 to S18 performed by the control device 21, for example, the upper control system (not shown) of the control devices 11 and 21 reproduces the video server 22 instead of the reproduction output of the video server 12. Make a system change so that the output is used for broadcasting. As a result, both the instruction to shift to the operation mode and the instruction to change the system can be surely executed.

Next, another example of the operation in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

Here, it is assumed that the 1st system shown in FIG. 1 is the active system and the 2nd system is the preliminary system.

Now, while the active system is regenerating the material, the spare system is in the state of being maintained (that is, in a state asynchronous with the active system) (step S21).

The control device 11 of the working system sequentially reproduces each material in the video server 12, and when the material being reproduced in the video server 12 is switched and the reproduction of the new material is started, the reproduction of the material is started. The playback start time and the playback start position of the material are notified to the standby system control device 21 (YES in step S22, step S23).

The standby system control device 21 stores the reproduction start time and the reproduction start position notified from the active system control device 11 in a predetermined storage medium for use in the calculation described later (step S24).

When the operator instructs the standby system to return to the operation mode (or equivalent processing with the active system) by operating the control console 30, the control device 21 of the standby system is transmitted from the control console 30. A signal instructing the transition to the operation mode is received (YES in step S25). When the backup control device 21 receives the signal, the playback start time when the video server 12 starts playing the material, the playback start position of the material, and the current time, which are stored in the storage medium, are displayed. Based on (specifically, by performing an operation of adding the value of the difference between the playback start time and the current time to the value indicating the playback start position of the material), the video server 12 is currently playing. The reproduction position of the material is obtained (step S27), and the video server 22 is controlled to start the reproduction of the same material from the same position as the obtained reproduction position (step S28).

In this way, according to the above operation example, in a state where the spare system is performing maintenance asynchronously with the active system, the spare system is immediately synchronized with the active system at the timing when the maintenance is completed to provide redundancy. It can be re-secured.

If the operator recognizes the occurrence of a failure in the active system during maintenance, the operator operates the control console 30 to instruct the standby system to shift to the operation mode, and at the same time, the system. You may also instruct a change. In that case, in addition to the processes of steps S26 to S28 performed by the control device 21, for example, the upper control system (not shown) of the control devices 11 and 21 reproduces the video server 22 instead of the reproduction output of the video server 12. Make a system change so that the output is used for broadcasting. As a result, both the instruction to shift to the operation mode and the instruction to change the system can be surely executed.

As described in detail above, according to the embodiment, it is possible to immediately synchronize the system in an asynchronous state with the working system with the working system to re-ensure redundancy.

Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other embodiments, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

10 ... Multiple systems, 11,21 ... Control device, 12, 22 ... Video server, 13, 23 ... Transmission unit, 30 ... Control console, 40 ... System output switching device, T ... Transmitter.

Claims (7)

A control device applied to a broadcasting system having redundancy that allows a plurality of playback devices to be controlled to reproduce the same material in synchronization.
In a state where the first reproduction device is reproducing the material as an active system while the second reproduction device is not performing the reproduction synchronized with the reproduction, the first reproduction device reproduces the material. The playback start time at the start and the playback start position of the material are stored in the storage medium, and when a signal instructing the second playback device to shift to the operation mode is received, the storage medium stores the playback start time. based on the playback start time stored and said reproduction start position and the current time, determine the reproduction position of the material of the first reproduction device is currently playing, the calculated to the second reproduction device A control device including a control means for controlling the start of reproduction of the same material from the same position as the reproduction position. The control means calculates the reproduction position of the material currently being reproduced by the first reproduction device by adding the value of the difference between the reproduction start time and the current time to the value indicating the reproduction start position of the material. The control device according to claim 1, which is obtained by the above. When the control means receives the signal while the first reproduction device is reproducing the material as an active system while the second reproduction device is in the test, the test is performed. The control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control is performed by terminating or interrupting. The control means performs the maintenance when the signal is received in a state where the first regenerating device is regenerating the material as an active system while the second regenerating device is undergoing maintenance. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control is performed by terminating or interrupting the control. When a failure occurs in the reproduction output of the first reproduction device, in addition to the control performed by the control means, the reproduction output of the second reproduction device is used for broadcasting in place of the first reproduction device. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a means for controlling the system switching so as to be performed. A broadcasting system including the control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. A playback control method applied to a broadcasting system having redundancy that allows a plurality of playback devices to be controlled to play the same material in synchronization.
In a state where the first reproduction device is reproducing the material as an active system while the second reproduction device is not performing the reproduction synchronized with the reproduction, the control device causes the first reproduction device to perform the reproduction. When the playback start time when the playback of the material is started and the playback start position of the material are stored in the storage medium and a signal instructing the second playback device to shift to the operation mode is received , wherein based on the reproduction start time stored in the storage medium and said reproduction start position and the current time, determine the reproduction position of the material of the first reproduction device is currently playing, the second regeneration A reproduction control method for controlling a device to start reproduction of the same material from the same position as the obtained reproduction position.

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